A woman patient in China who had successful cancer surgery thought she could stop the illness returning by eating very little and almost died because she lost too much weight.
China has around 20 million people who suffer from rare diseases, the treatment of which are usually prohibitively expensive. Medical experts say clear policies and incentives could help boost investment in innovative treatments.
Doctors and nurses in some of China’s public hospitals are facing pay cuts or salary delays amid a surge in coronavirus cases, as local government finances come under extreme strain.
Local blood centres and health authorities from at least nine regions, including Jiangsu, Sichuan and Yunnan, have warned of shortages and launched donation drives this month, as the country is engulfed with Covid-19 infections.
A woman in eastern China who could not figure out why she was suddenly gaining weight found out she had an 11kg tumour after visiting a doctor to get the problem checked out.